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Rajendran Britto
The land, lakes and rivers have been paradises for our ancestors’ right from the creation. Land continues to be a home for us all and will be for our future generations too.The land is the most significant part of every human being on the face of the earth. Because it is here we begin and end our physical life journey. Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights spells out that “everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others”.
Regrettably, due to self-interest and poor management of land by some of our self-seeking leaders the tale of owning land is getting its way in troubled and conflict situations. The land laws which became operational on May 1, 2001, have been passed in Parliament in 1999 with the Land Act No. 4 and Village Land Act No 5. These Land Acts provide the legal frame work for General Land and Reserved Land.
General Land consists of all the land that is not reserved or village land while Reserved Land takes account of forest, national parks, game reserves and land set aside for public utilities for roads and town planning.
The issue of land which is in conflict and variance situation today was not a serious dilemma previously due to the philosophy of Ujamaa in the country. No one had a real pressure or demand over the land in the village which constitutes 70 per cent of all land in Tanzania.
On the other hand, with the incursion of foreign investors wanting land in thousands of acres for investment the pressure today breaks out. What to do, the catastrophe in our life is until we lose; we don’t know the value of what we had. What so ever may be the land belongs to the indigenous people not to anybody else.
The ideology of the contemporary society may force us to offer land to the foreign investors due economic reasons. As Dr George Mwaisonda said in his article titled ‘Dilemma in land reform’, “limiting accessibility to land from foreigners shuts unnecessary foreign capital into the economy.” Nonetheless, we should never look for the development or economic growth at the expenses of the indigenous people. This invitation to the investors to own land for economic purpose of the country should not be over ruled by the interest of the individual in the society.
Opening the doors for the investors and offering the huge amount of land will be able to make better economy in the country however; it is not the bible truth. On the converse, if we can smooth the progress of equitable distribution of and access to land to all citizens will result in progress and development of the nation.
World Document Report 2008 by World Bank argues that growth in smallholder agriculture is particularly effective, especially in countries with fair distribution of land. Agriculture sector according to this report is at least twice as effective at reducing poverty as growth in other sector. No doubt agriculture can bring an incredible development in our society. Duncan Green (2008) is in support of agriculture saying, “it is the heart of rural life in developing countries and it can enable people to work their way out of poverty.”
When people get the fair share of land and being agriculture their life not only will benefit them but increase the food production, get job opportunity and in turn the food price will naturally go down making a way forward for good living.
It is right time for us to work out on the subject of land as we review the constitution. Fair share of land not only concentrates on the issues of integrity and justice but unlocks the doors for the economic development of the country through farmers and individuals.
We need people who are professionally qualified pertaining land issues such as surveyors, people who can value the land properly and town planners. It is unavoidable that people becoming refugee in other countries due to internal conflict, war and natural calamities. But we should never make people becoming refugee in his or her own land by taking away their land. And it is most heartbreaking feature of one’s life that they are living as refugees in their own land.
Singing the song of ‘Kilimo Kwanza (Agriculture First)’, and dancing to the tune of foreign investors who are only interested in their own advantages and selfish motives of some of our leaders may look not only awkward but will be shameful thing for they preach water and drink wine.
The writer is tutorial assistant at St Augustine University of Tanzania
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